Driftwood
by Jacksaw
Summary: The World of the Teen Titans is a weird place. Monsters. Super villains. Super heroes. But what made them? What turned them into the people they are today? (No idea why I called it 'Driftwood'. Anyway. Collection of drabbles. Much better than it sounds. Done in 'Whitewater' style. Rated T because I'm paranoid and not sure what happens.)
1. Like Father, Like Son

**A/N: No idea why I called it ****_Driftwood_****. Anyway, here are the drabbles. My first chapter is, strangely, Jericho-themed. Sue me. **

**Most of the time frames don't really exist, but I'll try. Because I'm bound to run out of ideas, I welcome requests from reviewers. just tell me anything you want to see written, and I'll do it. Will give credit.**

01\. When is soon?  
_Um, how about when Jericho was ten? Does that help?_

Jericho waited forever.

He could still remember the day when he was ten, when his father had first sent him to the top of the mountain. _Be a good boy_, he had said. _Wait for me, will you? _

_When are you going to visit me?_ he signed.

His father ruffled his hair. _Sometime soon, kiddo. _He pecked him on the head. _Sometime soon._

That was six years ago.

His father never came.

* * *

02\. Phantom  
_Um, when Jericho went mute._

The blade burnt like ice against his neck. He thrashed around, screaming for someone, _anyone _to help.

_Get this thing off my neck!_

The knife paused, the point resting on his throat. He strained to get it away from him. "Help!"

"Stop thrashing, Joseph." The voice was metallic, electronically filtered. Yet there was something strangely familiar about it. "It'll hurt less that way."

"Why?" he wailed. "Why are you doing this?"

"It's for the best, Joey. It's for your own good."

_My own good? How is this in any way good?_

The blade cut into his throat, and he screamed until he found he couldn't.

~_Several years later~_

The same voice filled his ears again, after so many years.

Jericho could only stare at the screen, his mouth gaping. The scars at his throat burned, a phantom pain from an old injury.

"This is Slade," Robin's voice was saying. "No one actually knows who he is, or even what's his full name."

_I do. His name is Slade Wilson, married to Adeline Kane, with three children: Grant, Rose and Joseph. _

_He has haunted me in the past before, stood by while someone slit my throat. Not even trying to help. _

_He is my father._

* * *

03\. Like father, like son  
_Anytime after Slade tried to conquer the world._

"Hello kiddo. Told you I'd come back."

"You!" Jericho seethed, speaking to anyone for the first time in years. "You cut my throat. You tried to take over the world!"

Slade held up his metal hands. "Personally, Joey―"

"I am not Joey!"

"I didn't slit your throat." Slade ignored him. "And doesn't everyone want to take over the world?"

"No!"

"My dear child," Slade patted him on the head, like he did was Jericho, no _Joseph _was small. Jericho wrenched his head away. "I only wanted to take over the world for your mother."

The fire in Jericho's eyes diminished a bit. "For mom?"

"Yes, your mother." Slade clasped his hand, and his voice took on a dreamy quality. "Finest woman I've ever met. So glad I married her."

"Yeah, and then you divorced her."

"Hey, she stabbed me in the eye!"

"Only because you came back from a baseball game with my throat slit!"

"It didn't kill you!"

"I wish it did," Jericho growled. "Then I wouldn't live to see the things my _father_ had done."

Slade let out a low laugh. "You'll learn to be proud of me, Jericho. You will learn to appreciate all the things I have done so you can inherit a enormous empire."

"I will never be proud of you. You are a murderer!" Jericho rambled. "A thief! A coward! A―"

Slade tilted his head at him. "If I am a murderer, a thief, and a coward, then what are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"After all, none of this is real. This is all a dream." Slade gestured around him. "I am not real."

"So?"

"I am merely a figure of your imagination, Joseph. I am part of you."

"You're lying! You and I are nothing alike."

"We are much more alike than you would like to think."

"No! we're not!"

Slade began to fade. "Remember this, Joseph. You and I are very alike."

Jericho gave a yell and ran at Slade. "I am nothing like you!" His hands caught thin air.

Slade's and his words bounced around the chamber.

_Very alike._

_Nothing like you._

**_Very alike._**

_Nothing like you. _

**_Very alike._**

**_Very alike._**

_Nothing like you. _

**_Very alike._**

**_VERY ALIKE._**

Slade's words started to overpower his own. Worst of all, they were starting to sound like his own voice.

* * *

**A/N: Yay for Jericho. Being Slade's kid must suck. On a side note, does anyone else think he's creepy when he possesses people? Anyway. Hoped you liked it, reviews would be nice, blah, blah.**

**Coming up next: Bbrae. (Never liked the name) And sort of TerraXBeast Boy too.**

**Requests are welcomed. Flames are not dis-encouraged. **


	2. That Annoying Heart Shaped Box

**A/N: Told you I'd be back. As I've said in the previous chap, this is Bbrae. And also a bit TerraXBeast Boy. What is that even called? **

**Anyway, thank you, er, who reviewed? *Checks* No one. How am I supposed to know what you wanna read if no one comments?**

* * *

04\. Animal Instincts  
_The Beast Within_

_Protect her._

The thought ran through his head, over and over again.

_Protect her. _

_Protect her._

_Protect her. _

_Protect her. _

_Protect her._

He growled and leapt at the attackers. The big blue one slammed him in the face with a punch that threw him into a wall, but he bounced right back. The weird looking green one tried to kick him. He gave him an uppercut and jumped for the big blue one again. The green one leaped on him, but he threw him off, leaving him with the blue one. They traded blows, fast enough to be a blur, fast enough he hardly saw them and only fought on out of instinct.

_Something is wrong. _The voice cut through the haze like claws. He finished the blue one of with a quick uppercut, sending him skittering across the water surface. His instincts urged him to check on the purple one, to see if something was wrong.

_No!_

The orange one, the one who looked a bit like the purple one, was hovering above her. He gave a roar and leapt for her.

_Protect the purple one._

* * *

05\. That Annoying Heart-Shaped Box  
_JUst before Beast Boy gave Terra the box_

Beast Boy thought no one else knew about the box yet.

Raven knew, though. Beast Boy had spent enough nights, cooped up in the dump he called a bedroom, for her not to notice. That, and the box he had given _her._

She kept glancing at the empty spot where it used to be, before just looking at it made her powers go haywire and she had to dump it. Any extreme emotion, like love, or hate, made her unstable, and probably endangering the city.

Until she could fully control them, be able to feel, to_ love_, without blowing something up, she could not accept it.

She had to keep her feelings on a tight leash, or else she might hurt someone, even, no _especially_ the people she loved.

She simply couldn't risk it, no matter how much she wanted to.

So, she reminded herself, listening to Beast Boy's door slide open, she had no right to be jealous of Terra. Especially for something she had refused.

* * *

06\. Protection  
_Things Change_

She hadn't meant for him to see her that day.

But she heard that the Titans were battling there, and she had to make sure he was safe. Sure, she knew he could take care of himself, but she couldn't risk him getting hurt. She'd hurt him enough.

But when the green changeling had turned for the slightest second, she knew she was caught. Before he could yell her name, she had run off, hiding among the crowd.

She had gotten good at that. Running.

So when he had tracked her to her new school, she had to pretend she didn't know him. even when he threw mud at her face, she had forced herself not to block it. She could not hurt him again.

She did go on following him though. It was a moral obligation for her: to protect him from further harm. And maybe beyond that.

But she couldn't go back into his life. He had to move on, and she would only hurt him more.

She shadowed him to the pie shop, the fairground, anywhere she had been with him. When she had seen him beat the crap out of Slade, for her, she knew he was going to be alright. Maybe.

And maybe, not trying to protect him was the best way to protect him.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, maybe drabbles isn't really my thing._ Animal Instincts_ is sort of classic, and I screwed up bad. Sorry all bbrae people. Excluding me. I totally deserved it. Anyway, as I've said, tell me what you wanna see written, and I'll do it. **

**…What did you think of it?**

**Also: I was originally planning to do the fight scene between Raven and Terra in _Aftershock Pt1_, but I kinda thought it would be weird to change their lines just to fit into a drabble. **

**Reviews are nice.**

**~Winterlynn**

**Update: due to a reveiw (finally!), it has been brought to my attention promblems with _Animal Instincts_. Who is who is not clear. So here it is, the blue one is Cyborg, the green one Robin, orange Star, and purple Raven. **

**Also, I know it's really bad, actually. My worse yet. Not that I've written a lot. I realize Beast Boy's thinking would not be so coherent, but there was nothing I could do about it. **

**Also tell me if you want me to do that extra drabble. **

**Final thing:give me ideas, request. I will try to think, but kinda running our already. :/**


	3. Ghost

**A/N: Woohoo! So many reviews― all two of them. My life kinda sucks, doesn't it? But I'm probably annoying everyone with all my moaning. This chapter has only one story, because this big test everybody's making a big fuss over is coming up, and I've got major homework, even though it was due today. (Oops?) But its longer than all the other three plus together, so hope ya like it.**

* * *

07\. Ghost  
_Aftershock pt 2_

Through Terra's eyes, Slade watched the world crumble.

The Teen Titans were finally gone. Terra had seen to that. Slade considered his plan again. _Maybe killing the half-demon was a bad idea?_

He shook his head. There was still the boy. He was a much safer bet. More stable, more co-operative.

Slade leaned forward and pressed the intercom button, his metallic voice filtering to his soldiers. "Bring him in."

The voice crackled. "Sir, there's a second boy. Do I bring him in too?"

_A second one? _"Who is he?"

"No idea, sir. Should I kill him now sir?"

Slade considered it. "No. Bring him in with the other one."

"Sir, yes sir." The speaker shut off.

Slade sat back and shut his eyes. Who was this boy? He didn't like unknown factors. They provided an unwanted obstacle. But perhaps this boy would be an asset…?

"Sir." The door hissed open.

Slade opened his eyes. One of his soldiers thrust the boy forward. His blue cloak was tattered, and they had taken his horn. Then the one in the lead thrust another boy forward. The boy was blindfolded, but his face and hair was familiar enough.

Slade almost had a heart attack.

In a blur of speed he was famous for, he flew at the soldier, grabbing him by his shirt. "Where did you find him?"

"I―I―"

"Answer the question!" he screamed. The others back away; it wasn't like their master to loose his composure.

The soldier swallowed. "I―I wasn't on the squad. Sir."

Slade let go of him abruptly. He crumpled to the floor, shocked and terrified. Slade took a deep breath; he could not loose it. Not now. "Take the One to the holding cell."

"What about the other one?"

"I wish to speak with him."

* * *

Slade paced back and forth. If he had hair, he would be running his hands through it now. The boy faced him calmly, immobile as a statue.

"Joseph?" Slade finally said. "Is that you?"

_No, father. _The boy sighed, twisting his fingers in familiar shapes. _I am not Joseph. I am Jericho._

"So you recognize me as a father now." Slade sat down beside him, semi-returning to his usual icy state.

_A father I wish I never had._

"Joey―"

_I am not Joey anymore! _If the boy had a voice, he would have screamed. _I am not the scared little boy who did whatever he was told, and turned a blind eye on everything. You killed him when you left! _

"I left for our family," Slade tried to explain. "I had to, or Jackal would have destroyed us all."

_You could have called the law..._

"No, I couldn't. You know that."

Jericho's hands shook slightly as his sighed his next message. _Can you take off the blindfold? Please?_

Slade did not hesitate, but reached over and undid the knot. The cloth fell away, revealing bright green eyes.

Jericho looked rather shocked. _You did it. You didn't even try to make sure I won't use my powers on you._

"Yes, I did. Now will you please listen?"

The anger returned to those lime green eyes. _I'll listen. And if you cannot convince me all you have done is for us, for our family, I will possess you, and kill you._

"Your own father?"

_Yes. My own father. _

Slade sighed. "I have taught too much in my ways." he began. "Your mother is dead."

_I know this._

He gave a wry smile. "Same as ever. You would never listen."

_I don't listen to scum._

"Watch your language." Slade gave a resigned look, and started over. "I tried to save her; I really did. But she was already gone. I spent day after day, nose buried in books. I tried to find a way, anyway to revive her. But it was no good."

_At least you tried. _Jericho offered quietly.

Slade raised an eyebrow, but did not comment. "Then one day, I stumbled on a book. A book about magic, about a demon named Trigon. He was Death itself. He could bring your mother back."

"But of course I did not believe it. Any of it. But stubbornly, _stupidly_, I still clung on to the book. Then I found out about the Teen Titans. Or more importantly, Raven. The Half-demon girl, the daughter of Trigon. The Gem of Azar. The portal to another dimension. At last, a way to find Trigon."

"But I couldn't just knock on the door and tell them, _hey, can I borrow the girl of yours? I need to revive my dead_ wife,can I? So I became Slade. My goal was to capture Raven and use her to open the portal. Then I would march all the metahumans and take over Azar, and all those other dimensions. Trigon would be weakened, and easy to conquer. I could finally have my wife back. My family would be complete."

_What about Herald? Why did you need him? And why is Raven dead_?

"You've heard? News travels fast, doesn't it kiddo? Yes, well, Raven was a loose cannon. There was always a chance she would rebel, break free and destroy my plans. So when I heard about your friend―"

_Herald._

"―Herald, who could also, conveniently, summon a portal. So, I opted that he was the better choice, and destroyed Raven and brought him here."

Jericho was motionless. Finally his hands moved. _You are a monster._

"Only for our family!"

_You sacrificed mankind, just so we could have our family back together! You are reasonable monster, but a monster still the same. __Have you never heard of the greater good?_

"Greater good? As far as I'm concerned, greater good means greater good for well, me."

A soldier burst into the room, "Sir, the prisoner―"

Jericho spun to face him. His eyes glowed black and acid green, and the soldier's body became rigid. His eyes took on the same shade as Jericho's. "Father," he said, his voice but Jericho's words. "You are the most selfish, useless waste of space I've ever seen." His voice was quiet, but cold. "And today, I'll rid the world of you. You'll never terrorize the world again." He lifted the soldier's gun. "For everyone's who has died in your name, or been hurt."

Slade said nothing, just held out his arms.

Jericho cocked his gun on his shoulder. "Don't think I don't know how. You've taught me before."

Slade still said nothing.

"Aren't you even going to defend yourself?' he demanded. "Are you too cowardly to fight your own son?"

Slade shook his head. "I will never fight my own son. I will never fight my family. Shoot me."

Jericho took aim with the gun, crosshairs lined with his heart. His hand didn't even tremble as he released the safety clasp. His finger tightened on the trigger.

Slade closed his eyes. At least he'll see Grant and Adeline there. He braced himself.

Jericho gave an exasperated sigh and lowered the gun. "I can't kill you," he said softly. "Let me and Herald leave, and we'll never meet again."

Slade turned away. "This never happened, understand?" he asked quietly. "All the soldiers here will be sent to separate divisions. "Take the horn― its in the third room to the left― and get out of her. Fast."

Jericho nodded. Then, still in the soldier's form, he left the room.

* * *

**A/N: When I said _long_, even I didn't think it would be this long. Anyway, this was basically an explanation of what Slade said in _Phantom._ And yes, the name was reference to that story. I had the idea for this story from _TheFoolOnMelancholyHill. _So, on a basic level, she did request a story. **

**The plot is basically revealing Slade's plan all along. I think Herald's horn opens to the same dimension as Raven, but Slade wouldn't know anyway.**

**And, also, _TheFoolOnMelanchoHill_, maybe I will write about everyone. Maybe not. And that's actually a valid point, why Slade left Jericho on that hill. Hope you like this chapter! **

**Dear everyone, okay, I love followers, but please fav and review. And tell everyone on the Internet too. **

**...R&amp;R?**

Next up: Terra (Why does everyone hate her anyway? She's kinda awesome.)


	4. Shut Up

**A/N: Thank you, ****_TheFoolOnMelancholyHill_****, for giving such a full and constructive review. In response to you, because I'm too lazy to tell pm every single person who is wondering, I'm really bad at writing emotion. So, you just have to use your imagination, I guess. But I will go back and edit during the summer holidays. **

**Sorry for the late updating, though. It's been ages, since I've done any writing. Ran into a spot of trouble with my computer. (I think that sounded a bit British.) Anyway, here it goes.**

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. You'll see what I mean.

* * *

08\. Shut Up  
_After the Hive was destoryed_

Most other parents taught their kids to ride bikes, or swim. Aaron's parents taught him to shut up.

Everyone in town knew Aaron Kidd was the biggest chatterbox. Ever.

_"That kind of gum ball tastes terrible. Try the blue one."_

_"You should watch that one instead._ Troy_ is much better."_

_"That question is wrong. It's supposed to be 3, not 33."_

_"Hey, You shouldn't do that! Ms Sarah is going to kill you!"_

Most people just ignored him, or crossed the road to avoid him. Everyone thought he was annoying. But there's something incredibly heart-breaking about a frowning six year old, and know that its your fault. So they all muttered behind his back, and plastered on fake smiles when he came in.

Only his parents tolerated him. Sure, he did talk a lot, but he was a six year old boy. What did you expect? In their eyes, he was just had a lot of opinions.

Then his father left, and his house collapsed and squashed his mother like a bug.

He was fostered by an older couple. Then didn't like him much. They even agreed with the rest of the town. The kid _was_ irritating. So, they told him that in his face.

_Shut up, and listen to me, boy._

_But father-_

_No buts. Stop talking and listen._

_Da-_

_Everyone in town thinks you talk too much. Your mother and I would like you to stop._

_But what if-_

_No, Aaron. Do you promise, to never speak again? At least when people tell you to stop?_

_Yes. _He nodded vigorously.

And for the first time in a long time, his father smiled.

~#~

Kyd Wykkyd's head slipped from his hand. He propped it up again. He was dropping off _already? _How long had it been since they'd escaped the Hive? When was the last time he even slept?

He felt his eyes inching close again and forced them apart. He stared out into the rain. Of course being hungry didn't help.

As if on cue, a pale hand reached over and shoved him some bread. He shook his head. She needed it more.

"Say something, will you?"

He shook his head. _Never. I promised._

_~#~_

Aaron watched the town burn, flames licking the sky. He had tried to tell them that the whole place was prone to be firewood, that there was a fire heading their way. He'd signaled wildly, but his father kept pushing him away. _Stop it, Aaron. Your mother will kill us if we're not back for dinner._

_But father-_

_No, Aaron, i don't want to know what you did with the frog you found yesterday._

_No Dad, this is something else!_

_Stop talking, Aaron._

_But-_

_Remember your promise. And promises should never be broken._

He let go of his father's arm, and watched him walk down the hill, towards the village. Then he watched the fire spread towards the village. the first of the flames touched the village.

He waited for the screaming to begin.

* * *

09\. Paper Rose  
_Spellbound_

_"Aldruon Enlenthranel Vosolen Lirus-nor!"_

Malchior gave a dying howl and arched his scaly body. _No, Raven. No!_

The white light hit him, and he felt his soul being sucked back into the book. _No, please! I've been in there for so long!_

~#~

_Someone is coming._

Malchior froze and sniffed the air. His eyes widened.

_No. It cannot be him._

He launched himself into the air and flew towards the scent, just to check. He landed on the turreted tower.

_It was him._

Standing across the circle, hair whipping in the wind, was Rorek.

Malchior growled. _Rorek._

The magician gave a smug smile. "Hello, Malchior. Haven't seen you."

_Yeah, _he said sarcastically._ Since you stole Romera and trapped me in this form._

Rorek's smile faltered a bit. "Romera was mine in the first place."

_Romera was supposed to be with me. Remember the rose?_

Rorek tapped his chin. "Which rose?"He pulled it out of his pocket in on swift motion. He twirled it between his fingers. "This one, you mean?"

_You stole it. How could you?_

"Romera's forgotten you. She's mine now."

_That's a lie__! _He roared. _She will wait for me. I'm coming for her once this stupid spell is broken. She knows that!  
_

"Not anymore."

_What did you do to her? _He flew at him, talons unsheathed.

~#~

Malchior looked out of the book.

A familiar face peered down at him intently. Large violet eyes and hair.

_Romera?_

He willed the paper rose to appear again.

"For me?" she gasped.

"For you." _For Romera._

* * *

10\. Please Don't Save Me  
_Terra_

_No! No, no, no._

Terra gave a scream, but somehow her voice didn't work.

_Control it. Control it! _

_Don't feel, don't feel!_

She reached out for anyone, _anyone_, to help her.

"Please," she sobbed, and this time her voice came. It sounded small and weak, just like how she felt. The wind whipped harder, swirls of dust and dirt flying everywhere. The storm was going to destroy everything. she had created it, but she had no means to stops it.

_Come on, come on._

She was losing the fight. The earth tore out of her control, bringing the cave down. Huge chunks of ceiling came crashing down, crushing the robot corpses. She screamed again, her eyes glowing. The storm spiraled out of her power― can't control it―

_**Take control. Don't let it control you.**_

Terra's eyes widened. _Mother?_

The voice came back, repeating the phrase over and over again. **_Take control. Don't let it control you. **_Take control. Don't let it control you. **_Take control. Don't let it control you..._**_**_**

Terra screwed her eyes shut. _This was all an illusion. It's all in my head. It's not real._

_**It may be in your head, but does that make it any less real?**_

Her eyes popped open. _Mother. That is you!_

The voice took on the old chant. **_Take control. Don't let it control you. Take_****_ control. Don't let it contr―_**It was wracked by an ear-splitting scream.**  
**

**Ash raining from the skies. A flood of red. Screaming. The earth splitting.**

Terra's vision blurred with tears. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears falling in rivers. She beat her hands on the side of the her hand. _Block it. Bl__ock it._

**Hands clawing at the edge of the crevice. Wails of those who had survived. The broken bodies of those who hadn't. Pale, scared faces. Sobs.**

She had done that. She had hurt- even killed- them. She didn't deserve to live, and go on to hurt others.

She deserved to die.

"Terra!"

Terra's eyes couldn't see, but she could hear Beast Boy easily. She turned her face to his general direction.

"Beast Boy?" she croaked, too soft for anyone to hear. He had come to help her.

_Finally!_

_No!_ The side in her that had decided to die yelled. _Don't let him come any closer! You'll only hurt him more! _

"Terra!" his voice was closer now.

_No! Don't let him save you!_

The other side, the side that was weak and blind and _selfish_ forced her eyes open; made her reach for the hand Beast Boy extended.

_No! Let go! Yell at him,_ Don't save me!

But their hands clasped and her selfishness won.

And when she sobbed, she sobbed for all the people she would hurt, kill.

_Please don't save me._

* * *

11\. Void

She would always be on the other side.

Just out of reach, like the stars on a clear night.

Everytime he tried to clear the gap, she would push him away.

It was like she didn't even like him.

But he made himself a promise: one day, he would bring her over to his side, or they would meet in the middle.

~#~

She always had to be out of reach.

She had to be the impossible challenge, so that he would give up.

Everytime she felt him try to bridge the gap, she would shove him away.

She had to pretend she didn't even like him anymore.

But she made herself a promise: that one day, she would be able accept him, without fear of hurting anyone. Without having to fear she would hurt _him_.

* * *

**A/N: hopefully, posting four would be enough to compensate on updating really late. **

**Still no requests? Boo. **

**R&amp;R**

**I have no idea whose next. Tell me?**

**Update: Looking back, I have to say this was one of my more successful chapters. Oh, was there a point in here? **

**Yes. In _Shut Up_, Kyd's backstory, on what happened to his parents has changed. Just his mom, though. It's to fit a new fic I'm planning for him, _W is for Wykkyd, _which would go on (maybe) for everyone else. Jericho, at least. **

**More on that in chapter 8, which I will be promptly taking down and reposting with _Do you Believe in Magic__? _replaced by another, called _Oh, just spin it!_. **


	5. Wykkyd?

**A/N: My first fav! Thanks to you, ****_TheFoolOnMelancholyHill_****, (god, your name is hard to type,) for being such a fateful reviewer. In your honor, I have decided to write fics about every one of your fav characters. First one up is Speedy, in this chap. I made him sort of evil, though. Hope ya don't mind. The others will be coming along soon.**

**Also, I now know that Kyd Wykkyd is generally called Elliot, or something like that, but I personally like Aaron better. So, I'm keeping it. **

* * *

12\. Double Time  
_Anytime_

Red X laughed, jumping off the wall and coming at Robin with a spinning kick.

The Boy Wonder ducked, but in that moment of disorientation, Red X had managed to flip over the wall and disappear.

Robin cursed, loud enough for him to hear from the other side of the wall. "Spread out," the boy ordered. "Beast Boy, try to track his scent. Raven, Starfire, search from air. We will catch him this time."

Behind the mask, a grin spread across Red X's face. _Sure kid. Why not? _

"I've got it!"

Quickly, Red X scrambled up another wall, heading for home turf.

~#~

Speedy rubbed his eyes and yawned. Last night had been another late night out for him, and he was exhausted. Below him, Bumblebee was yelling orders at everyone again. "Aqualad, why did you let the turtles in?"

"I didn't!"

Speedy gave a tired chuckle. _Okay, maybe that was me._ He checked his reflection in the mirror again. Good god. Was it really that hard to change without messing up your hair? Speedy hurriedly smoothed it out again.

_"Señor Speedy!"_

Speedy groaned. "Get out of my bedroom, Menos."

Mas appeared, standing right next to him, his brother not far behind. "_Usted está de mal humor hoy._"

"Why do you say it, if I don't understand what you're saying?"

Menos looked at his twin. _"__Muy mal humor,_" he agreed.

Aqualad popped up, riding on a stream of water from his pool. "For once, I agree. You are very grumpy today."

Speedy stared. "You understand them?"

"We have no idea." Bumblebee said cheerfully, hovering in the air next to Aqualad,"But we can guess."

"Will you please just get out of my bedroom?"

"Seriously, what's wrong?" The Atlantean's dark brows were knit together with worry. Even though they each annoyed the heck out of the others, the five of them still cared for each other.

_Oh, just went on a late-night stealing spree, dressed as Red X, that villain the Titans have been hunting since forever. Nothing to it. I do it every Tuesday night. _Speedy decided take his usual tack. "Nightmares again."_  
_

The other Titans took it in silence. Bumblebee broke it. "Judging by what happens every time you get a _nightmare_, I think we shouldn't disturb you."

"Yes," he snapped. "That's why I have a door."

One by one, the Titans East dispersed. Speedy felt kind of bad, lying to them, then taking his lack of sleep out on them, but all the same, it was better than telling them the truth.

He pulled open his closet door, Red X's mask still hanging where he had stuffed it last night. He shoved it, along with the rest of the costume, deeper into the closet.

Speedy didn't know exactly when he decided he didn't particularly like being a hero, especially a severely underrated one. Sure it was okay, but it didn't appeal to him the same way it did to the others. Maybe that was the reason.

Or maybe he had just been bored.

Speedy had never been the perfect superhero; he was too vain (but what was there not be vain about?), too cocky, and not nearly noble enough. For one thing, he hated being trapped anywhere, by anyone or anything.

So, when he found out Robin had a spare suit, just hanging in the closet, he couldn't resist. _Just one time._ He thought. Then again, and again, and again, until it became a part of his daily schedule, like annoying Aqualad in the morning, and buying tons of hair gel every Friday.

At first, he was scared the others would find out. For one thing, his "nightmares" all fell on the same time as Red X's appearances. For another, his style very much matched his, which kinda made sense, since he and Robin, the original Red X, had both been trained by Batman. But luckily, his teammates didn't suspect a thing. They all had nightmares, some more than others, and no one cared much for a villain anyway, unless he was trying to take over the world.

He knew he shouldn't feel happy about it at all, but it did, like _he_ was the one in control. But sometimes he wondered, what it would be like to be Red X full time, and give up Speedy.

He had a disturbing notion he would then dress up as a superhero and save people.

* * *

13\. Wykkyd?  
_After the HIVE was destroyed_

Angel had never really known happiness. Even at the HIVE Academy, she was teased, at least until they found just what she could do with her wings, for her obvious connection to _good_. And for her urge to be nice.

Okay, maybe not _superhero_ nice, but _hey let me help you with that_ nice. That sorta stuck out.

None of the others were good, or anything remotely close to it. Take Jinx, for example, she was bad luck. Literally. And there were others, even more easily spotted.

She glanced at the boy beside her. Honestly, his name was Kyd _Wykkyd_. How more obvious could it get? She'd seen him kicking superhero butt, without an ounce of regret on his masked face, and steal lunch money from innocent kids, long before he even went to the HIVE.

Right now, he was scanning the streets, looking for alleys or rooftops to sleep on. People were giving them strange― and slightly scared― looks. Well, he was wearing a Batman costume, with glowing red eyes, and she had wings sprouting out of her back.

"Hey," she whispered, nudging him. He glanced down at her, raising the top line of those headlights he called eyes. "Stop looking around like that. People are getting scared."

He looked sorta surprised, even though it was hard to tell with that mask. He probably didn't even know about the effect he had on people. He stayed silent, but lowered his gaze until he was staring dead forward.

God it was annoying, having to walk with someone who had swore to never speak.

"Will you please say something to me?" she hissed from clenched teeth, "Make the whole, _we're going to a costume party_ thing more convincing."

It had been his idea, to pretend that they were just a couple going to a party, and they were all dressed up for fun, and the wings weren't growing out of her. When he told her about it, chalking it out in the dust, she'd been sorta surprised. She didn't figure he even knew the meaning of the word _party_.

"At least smile," she prompted.

Kyd Wykkyd gave her a bemused look, like, _seriously. Who can see through this mask?_

God this guy was annoying.

Kyd took her hand hesitantly, moving his mask around in the vague dream of a smile. _Well, it's better than nothing_, Angel thought dryly. _Though not by much._

The duo walked on, sticking out as much as they had fit in (sort of) at the HIVE. After a while though, people stopped giving them looks, buying the whole party thing. It felt pretty nice, to be treated like normal people. For a moment she could pretend she was just another ordinary girl, glad to be away from school, heading to a party with her cute (maybe) boyfriend. Or whatever girls these days thought.

Then of course, the moment ended.

They had just turned into an alley, where Kyd had decided was close enough to the supermarket to scavenge, but far enough that no one would take much notice of them, when they heard the sneering.

"Not so tough now, are ya?"

A bunch of teens were kicking a kid around like a football, not unusual around these parts. She did want to help them, of course, but Kyd assured her no one had ever died. Yet. And it wasn't really wasn't any of their business. Usually, Kyd would just teleport them away.

"Regretting you told on us yet?" One of them, maybe the ring leader, sneered.

The kid sniveled. He might have had a bleeding nose, but Angel couldn't tell for sure; the kid's hair was red too.

She turned to Kyd, waiting for him to teleport her away, but the teen villain was frozen, glowing red eye/lights/whatever wide and staring.

"Kyd?" She asked softly, which was a bad idea.

A gang member stopped, about to give the kid an atomic wedgie. He seemed to notice them. "Hey," he called, his words slow like he had difficulty speaking coherently, "I think we made these dudes mad."

The leader wiped some blood off on his shirt. "Oh, cor," he drawled, "So they are."

Angel couldn't resist. "Yes we are. Leave the kid alone."

He smiled a toothy grin, "What are ya going to do about it?" To prove his point, he gave the kid another kick. He whimpered and tries to crawl away.

"We'll beat you up," Angel said calmly. "And we're going to do it good, too."

The guy roared in laughter. "So, freaking scared right now."

Angel snarled. "You should be." God she should work on not protecting the weak.

The kid held up his fists mockingly. "Bring it," he challenged.

Angel glanced at Kyd. They could easily take the guy, even the other gang members, actually. But they didn't like to leave bodies, and usually avoided fights.

Kyd met her glance, then turned and left the alley. Angel felt a pang of disappointment. She had thought for a moment, just one, that he wanted to help the kid too. But after all he was Kyd _Wykkyd_.

She looked back at the leader. "Em, I should go after him," she said, before dashing away, cheeks red.

She looked around the sunlit street. Kyd was nowhere to be seen.

Behind her, she heard the gang members laughing."Told ya that chick was all talk and no bite. Probably hiding behind her weird boyfriend."

Angel felt her rage return. Weird? Weird? Okay, he was weird; they both were, but it was her job to call him weird. No one else had the right. She marched straight back into the alley, Kyd Wykkyd or no Kyd Wykkyd.

Just in time to see a dark shadow crashing down on the leader.

The guy went down in a surprised _oof! _Kyd jumped off him and onto another dude. The guy looked absolutely astounded, and got his head knocked on the pavement by Kyd.

Angel jumped into the fight, wings expanding, tossing member after member into the sky and scaring the crap out of them. She think she even sone of them cry for their mothers, but it might have been the wind, or her imagination.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kyd utterly destroying them, weaving in and out, teleporting to behind them. His scary bat mask was filled with the most concentrated look it could have, which wasn't much.

As Angel roundhouse-kicked a muscly guy, sending him spinning, part of her mind screamed in joy. Maybe, just maybe, the others had an ounce of niceness in them after all.

After all, if Kyd _Wykkyd_ could be nice, just about any one could be.

* * *

**A/N: Only two this time, but they are longer then usual. Someone please request a story, on the verge of running out already. **

**Also, tell me if I should do the extra bbrae drabble, mentioned in the second chapter.**

Up next: Herald, and his horn/trumpet thing.

**Updates: Also, can someone please tell me if it's Wykkyd Kyd, or Kyd Wykkyd?**

**Is it just me, or are these things getting longer?**

**God writing Kyd Wykkyd, or whatever his name is is fun.**


	6. Experiment

**A/N: I am on a roll! A roll named Kyd Wykkyd! (That sounded wrong. Like he was a cake flavor or something.) Can I just say that he's awesome? I rank him high up there, with Raven and Jericho and Terra. Okay, the last story is mostly Angel, but still.**

**Also, I am surprised no one ship Speedy and Bumble Bee. So, I'm including one here. **

**Also, anyone who was looking forward to reading the Herald story, it's been pushed back. Sorry.**

**Slight _Max Ride _reference. Seen if you can find it!**

* * *

14\. Wykkyd  
_(Shut Up pt2)_

The stupid finger was still pointing at him.

Aaron stared at it, the dead digit quivering slightly in the wind. His foster father's skull grinned hollowly at him. Aaron had found him at the very top of a roof, one of the last still standing.

He had climbed up there, only to be promptly poked in the stomach by a finger. At first he thought his father was somehow still alive, prodding him with that obnoxious finger. Then he'd looked up at the smiling face of his father, smiling like it had almost never done for Aaron in real life.

The thought made him angry. He reached out, grasping the finger, forcing it down. The bones cackled, bumping against each other with sharp sounds that echoed through the burnt village.

The skeleton's hand fell, the force jerking the others out of alignment. Aaron stepped back, watching them land, one by one. The skull fell last, the jaw unhinging from it first. A sigh seemed to escape it, at that moment. _Wicked_.

_I am not wicked. You were._ Aaron picked up the skull and crushed it in his hand. The bone, brittle from the fire, shattered in his fist. He threw them to the wind. He felt a deep, weird satisfaction.

Scrambling down to the remains of the village, he walked through the once familiar streets, now filled with skeletons clawing at the walls, twisted in all sorts of positions. The brightly painted walls were stained, with soot and further blackened by burns.

Almost everything was gone. The place that had once been his home had been reduced to an empty shell. Oddly he felt just about nothing. After all, no one here had ever even tried to make it his home. He never actually had a home. Just the place where everybody thought he was annoying.

He knew he should at least feel guilty. He could have broken the promise, and warned them of the fire. But he had let himself watch them die. He felt nothing for them, just as they had felt nothing for him.

Eight years later, Kyd Wyykkyd would watch Brother Blood try and take over the world. He would know that millions would die, and not care. After all, they'd never cared for the small, lonely six year old named Aaron. Why should he care for them?

He would considered his name again. Maybe now, he would think, trying to send the thought to his father, _now_ I am wicked. I am _Wykkyd._

Are you satisfied?

* * *

15\. Dancing  
_Anytime_

The night had begun alright.

Cyborg, for some unknown excuse, had decided to throw a big birthday bash on the Tower Roof. Basically every one of the Titans, honorary or not, Jump or Steel, was invited. But whose birthday was it? No idea. For Speedy, it was just another excuse to show off to the _ladies_.

The Titans East had shown up late, because of a fish tragedy. Mostly because Mas y Menos did not know, or care that water was an excellent conductor of electricity, and the fact that Aqualad was great pals with that particular deceased shrimp.

The card said it was casual dress, so none of them bothered to change out of uniform. No one did, actually. Robin was still in that ridiculous costume, and Jericho was wearing that stupid tunic. Speedy had the vague notion he actually liked that thing.

Already everyone was dancing. Loud music was blasting from a corner, something old that Speedy didn't recognize. He surveyed the scene. People were swaying together in a slow dance, voluntary or not. Speedy shuddered slightly. Slow dancing really wasn't Speedy's style. On a happier note, Robin was turning an interesting shade of red, which may or may not have anything to do with Starfire hugging him.

"This may get awkward," he muttered.

Bumble Bee cast him a side-ways glance. "You think so, huh?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Because dances are never awkward."

"Yes, unless there's a certain black mutant insect standing next to―" he clamped his mouth shut once he figured out how that could have sounded. Bumble Bee raised a curious eyebrow and opened her mouth to speak. There was a splash, and they both turned to find Aqualad jumping into the ocean. Speedy was slightly glad for the distraction.

"What?" Bee asked, looking completely bewildered.

"Maybe Aqualad decided to go and mourn for the shrimp friend of his." He guessed.

"I thought he was a fish."

"Fish, shrimp, what's the difference? They taste just as good."

"That was extremely insensitive thing to say."

"Because I am sometimes very sensitive, yeah?"

"Yeah."

Her unexpected answer threw him in a loop. Something must be messing with his head today. "Okay."

Her silence made things even more awkward. Speedy almost wished he was a certain dark-haired Atlantean, and could dive into the ocean to avoid this conversation. Then again, that would make him a total fish-face.

Starfire darted towards them, not noticing the atmosphere."Friends," she squealed. She grabbed Speedy and Bee in a hug. "You are of the late!"

Speedy felt like his lungs were on fire. Now he understood the colour on Robin's face. "Starfire, hear that cracking sound?" he managed, "Might be my ribs."

The alien princess released them, leaving them gulping for air like fish. "It is glorious to see you!" she smiled, oblivious to the fact her hug may have been fatal. "Friend Speedy and Friend Bumble Bee, join us in the dancing!"

"No thanks," Bee muttered, "I don't dance."

"Neither do I," Speedy said hastily. Slow dance really _really_ wasn't his thing.

Starfire's gaze was wide and innocent. "But you do not know the joy of dancing!" she clapped her hands sharply, brightening instantly. "Friends, I have an idea that is of the great!"

"What?" Speedy really hope she decide to ' do the leaving alone of them'.

"You may do the dancing together!" she beamed like it was a great idea. It was most definitely not.

Bee looked absolutely horrified. "No way. Not in a million years am I dancing. With him."

Okay, maybe this might be more fun than he thought. "Actually, Starfire," he said, sneaking a grin at Bee, "That would be great."

Bee shot him an evil glare. "Why you evil little-"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Most girls leap at the opportunity to even look at me. You should be honored."

"I'm not another one of your fan―"

"Most glorious!" Starfire interrupted. "Friends, let us do the dancing!" She dragged them off to the dance floor, ignorant of her own vice-like grip. Speedy's arm hurt.

She shoved the straight into the middle, still grinning like a cola addict. "You do the holding of each other like this," she forced Speedy and Bumble Bee into a hug position. He found his face unnervingly close to hers. "Then you put the head on the shoulder." Unwillingly, Bumble Bee laid her head on his shoulder. He found it strangely comforting, that someone was enjoying this even less than him. "And do the swaying to the beat of music. The dancing is the done."

Somehow Speedy was now slow dancing with Bumble Bee. Everything was possible now.

The song ended, and Speedy took a step away from Bumble Bee. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Bumble Bee's cheeks were slightly flushed, like Starfire had crushed― _hugged_ her. "Nothing less than I suspected," she said briskly.

Spedy opened his mouth to answer, but Starfire, who had been watching nearby like a mother hawk, squashed them in another way too enthusiastic hug. Bumble Bee and him were smashed together with the force of a bulldozer. Starfire was that strong. After a few minutes of struggling, Speedy's face suddenly flushed red.

Oh gawd.

Somehow, in the struggle, his mouth had found Bumble Bee's.

He jerked away, noting with feigned amusement that Bee's face was now the same color as his hair, which, you had to admit, was a pretty nice red. Speedy felt just about the same way, but maybe more messed up. Okay, it wasn't like he hadn't kissed other girls before (too many to count, actually), and Bee was a pretty good-looking girl (and he meant that in a friend way); but Bumble Bee was his LEADER. In capitals. That was just about the worst thing that could happen, and that including waking up with his hair looking like Aqualad's and having it posted online.

"Friends!" Starfire said, happily oblivious. "That was most glorious!"

_Yeah._ He thought grudgingly. _She kisses pretty good. _Immediately he felt incredibly guilty. She was so not his type. Right?

Bumble Bee's face had turned back to its usual shade of chocolate brown, but she was avoiding his gaze. "Starfire, put us down."

Starfire let go off the two of them. "Now you have done the discover of the joy, would you do the dancing again?"

Bumble Bee's face verged on green. "Maybe next time, Star."

"Yeah," he agreed. _And don't ever hug us again too. Ever._

Robin's hand came out of nowhere and grabbed Starfire. She let herself be dragged off, giggling. "So," Speedy said, just to break the silence, "Do you think we need to talk about _it_?"

Bumble Bee glanced around. "Of course we do," her usual snap in her voice. "Not now. Too many people. Roof tonight." She turned and walked away.

~#~

"It never happened, okay?"

Speedy rolled his eyes, not even bothering to turn around. He tossed another stone into the harbor. He imagined the stone hitting Aqualad. "Hello to you too."

Bumble Bee sat next to him, legs dangling over the edge. "Never happened. No one saw. Forget everything."

"Forget what? I don't remember anything." He grinned. "Nah, okay. Peace out, don't kill me."

Bumble Bee was silent. The rest of the tower was asleep, Mas and Menos snoring away. After all, they were only eleven. Aqualad was still somewhere in the bay. They watched the horizon turn slightly pink, but not enough to make up for the lack of moonlight. It was one of those times in the morning, when it was early enough you don't bother to fall asleep, but late enough most people are asleep.

"You know," Speedy blurted out on an impulse. "It wasn't actually that bad."

She kept her face carefully blank, but he thought she could feel a small smile on her face. "Yeah." she agreed.

This changed nothing. She still hated him.

He still hated her.

Right?

* * *

16\. Experiment  
_Oh, figure it out yourself._

She couldn't tell him. She couldn't tell anyone.

Angel hugged her legs to her chest, grateful for the roof over her head. Outside, the rain poured in a grey curtain, never seeming to end.

It happened on a night very much like this one. She could feel the rough bars of her cage, taste the bitter taste of the medicine they had forced-fed her and hear the screams of the ones in pain, even though it had been a long time ago.

_'Open your mouth. Damn it, stop resisting.'_

It had been the fourth night running. They'd developed a special interest in her, after so many days stuck in a cage, left in peace. She knew they would, sooner or later. Everyone of them, cooped in their cages, was tested on different pills, studied, then taken away. They all disappeared after that.

Some of them were lucky, nothing much seemed to happen to them. But for the others, most of them really, the results of their 'experiments' were bizarre. Terrible. All the children, the test subjects, whispered about them. There wasn't much else to take about. One kid's skin turned purple. Another one developed gills. And there was always the boy in the next cage, the one that wouldn't ever make a sound, not even when they injected him with god-know-what. He freaked her out most of all. She'd always been sensitive about eyes.

His eyes turned red. Pure red, glowing like a lamp.

Rough hands forced her mouth open. She tried to clamp it shut. _No, no. Please. _They forced it apart again, and inserted it in her mouth before she could protest.

_'Subject Eleven is done. No sign of physical change. Are you sure of the readings?'_

Then she had begun to change. She didn't feel anything. But the scientist dropped the walkie-talkie and started to swear. A lot.

On the floor, the walkie-talkie spun a bit. It emitted some beeping sounds, which could be roughly translated to: _What is happening?__  
_

The whitecoat grabbed it and yelled into it. '_Subject Eleven, sir! Evolving!"_

Then the world turned a searing white.

Kyd Wykkyd laid a hand on her shoulder. She smiled tersely, but kept her sight on the rain.

When she had come to, she was in the middle of the trash heap where they usually dumped their trash. After that, she'd wandered the streets, begging and stealing, trying to stay alive. She had wings now, small ones, but she found she could make them grow, and a slap from them hurt.

And then one day, while scavenging in a trash can, the searing white came back.

This time, there was a masked boy crouching over her when she woke up. A batman costume, with glowing lamp eyes. He helped her to her feet.

At first, they just stuck together, mostly because they made great partners in a fight. She could distract them for a while, with those huge wings of hers, but she tired easily. He would come up from behind or above, tackling them. Afterwards, they began to depend on each other, and joined the HIVE Academy together.

The next time the white came was during combat practice. Everybody just figured Mammoth hit her head too hard, but the nurses told her about her _condition_, as they called it.

She was dying.

Apparently the experiments done by the lab had implanted some slow illness in her, killing her brain off cell by cell. It was getting faster. They reckoned she had about a year to live.

She couldn't tell any of her friends, not even Kyd, the oldest of them all. They would only fuss, and she didn't want to spend the short remainder of her life being fussed over. So she tried to do everything on her wish list, minus the impossible one, which made it surprisingly short.

That had been ten months ago.

The world flashed, and at first she thought it was the lightning. Then another came, too fast, and then the whole world slipped into white.

Someone clutched her arm, and an unfamiliar voice called, "Angel! _Angel!_"

Well, at least her bucket list was finished.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the late update, guys. Really, really sorry. Writing these were much harder than I thought. At any rate, hoped you like it. And will someone please review and request?**

Next up: Herald and his bunch of pals! Yay!


	7. Falling

17\. Animal Instincts, Pt 0

_Get out of the tower before you hurt someone!_

_Destroy! Kill!_

_Run! You're in his territory._

_Rip! Blood!_

The Beast pounded the Other again. He flew backwards, slamming. The Beast lumbered towards him. Inside, Beast Boy's human side struggled.

_Forget about him! Get out! _

**_Kill destroy! _**

_Run! _

_Yes, run. Raven is just next do-_

**_Kill, blood!_**

_Run _

_You could hurt her or eve-_

**_KILL! KILL!_**

The Other came smashing back. The Beast met him half-way, pummeling him, relying on instinct.

**_KILL, KILL, KILL-_**

_No-_

**KILL, KILL, KILL!**

The Other smashed into the wall again and crawled to his feet. He wrenched open the door.

"Beast Boy?"

The Beast froze. Inside, all the voices stopped abruptly and mental-swiveled towards her.

_Protect her. _

_Protect the purple one. _

_Protect the purple one._

* * *

18_. _Falling

They were falling.

No.

No.

_No!_

The boy scrambled towards the falling trapeze artists. The security guards grabbed him by the shoulders. "Don't be stupid, boy!" One hissed in his ear. "You can't help them. Stay away."

"No!" He yelled. "I have to try! I at least have to try!"

They were falling.

They were crashing.

They were dead.

"No!" The boy yelled. "Oh god, no!"

He broke free of the guard's grip and ran to their broken bodies. He lifted his mother's limp body with his hands. He hugged her, her head lolling over his shoulder. His tears streamed down her jumpsuit.

"Mother! Father!"

He promised himself he would not fall. He would not fall like his parents had. He would fly free in the sky. As free as birds. As free as a _robin_.

* * *

**A****/N: Sorry for the short update. Going on holiday soon, so don't expect to fast an update. And yes, Herald's story is _still_ not done.**


	8. You Don't Have to Fight Alone

**A/N: I'm back! (If anybody cares) Still no requests? *Sobs* Come on, shippings, characters, time frame, ideas, anything!**

* * *

19\. You Don't Have to Fight Alone

_**Bbrae**_

Raven hated to admit it, but she was worried. About who? A certain annoying, cute, sensitive green changeling.

More specifically, Beast Boy.

Holing up in your bedroom for a week couldnt be good for you, she decided. Especially if it's Beast Boy's room.

She summed up her courage and knocked.

No response.

"Beast Boy?" She called. "Can I come in?"

She waited for the customary "Go away! I want to be alone."

There was a pause. "Yes." Raven almost did a double take, which was unusual for her, since she was... Raven. His voice was so hollow. Broken. Almost dead. _Did I sound like that after Malchior?_

Beast Boy had tried to help her then. She was only returning the favor. That's right.

She pushed open the door. She shouldn't be surprised at need, she knew. the condition of Beast Boy's room was legendary among Titans. Most people believed it to be impossible to get a room that dirty. plus, he was mourning about Terra, right? It wasn't like he had time.

She picked her way through the maze of dirty clothes, and godknows whatelse was in there. Beast Boy was back in human form now, hugging the box and his knees to his chest. His eyes stared at something none of them could see, dark and mournful, so very different from the Beast Boy before Terra even appeared. She felt a swell of anger in her chest. _Terra had hurt __Beast Boy __most of all,__ she had hurt the rest of us too__. It was her fault my entire world is crumbl-_

She forced Rage down. _Not now. We have to help Beast Boy._

She sat down beside him. "Beast Boy?"

He didn't give the least indication he was even listening. But for his heartbeat pulsing whenever Raven stretched out her senses, he could have been a statue. She tried again, this time touching his shoulder. "Beast Boy? BB?" God, she even used that ridiculous nickname. She must be really getting desperate.

Beast Boy stayed the same.

Raven didn't know how long they sat like that, not moving. But each time she tried to feel his heart, just to be sure he wasn't stuck in some sort of suspended animation, she could feel it growing slightly slower everytime. Not enough to be alarmed, but like he was verging on the edge of sleep. She knew this could not have been a good sign for his psychology, but if he could find peace in sleep, then sleep by all means.

So they went on sitting like that. With Beast Boy/Mr. Chatterbox frozen, and Raven being, well, Raven as usual, there was just about zero chance of starting a conversation. Maybe with something he recognized. Video games? The Tower game station had been smashed by Slade bots, much to Cyborg's chagrin. Girls? Well, she was one. But after Terra, maybe not. The colour green? His whole room was green.

She snapped her fingers. Got it. Music.

She looked around for a CD player. There was none. Robin had forbidden portable CD players after the, er, shirt incident. Maybe she could get the others to sing―?

She poked her head out. Starfire was humming happily as she pounded on a bowl of something leathery. The boys were missing, and Starfire was _not _an option. Definitely. Raven ducked back into Beast Boy's room. No music available apparently. Unless-

_No._ She pushed the thought from her mind. _I am not singing._

_Aww, c'mon. _Love's voice pleaded in her head. _Not even for Beast Boy?_

_No._

_But y'know ya like him!_

All the other emotions crowded together.

_Well, perhaps it would help. _Knowledge said thoughtfully.

_Not you too! _Raven groaned.

Her other emotions joined against her.

Rage: _Yeah! Rub it in Terra's afce!_

Timid: _Please Raven. Do as they say. All the yelling is scary._

Happy:_ Yay! If Beast Boy will be happy again, I love it!_

Lazy:_ I really don't care. but all the screaming is disturbing my sleep._

Brave: _Cool! A test of bravery!_

Rude:_ I don't really care! But this wimp is really annoying._

All: _Just do it Raven!_

_Fine, fine! _Raven rubbed her temple. _I'll do it._

There was general cheering in her head, and a few mutters of _Finally!_

She sat down on the bed and cleared her throat. "Um," she hesitated. What to sing? She decided she should just get on with it. Hopefully none of the Titans would ever know. "_Ever since I could remember. Everything inside of me, just wanted to fit in._"

Beast Boy gave no reaction. She decide to plow on. "I was never one for pretenders, everything I tried to be, just wouldn't settle in."_  
_

The corners of his mouth curved. Ever so slightly, but the smile was there.

"_If I told you what I was, would you turn your back on me? And if I seem dangerous, would you be scared?_"

He slowly turned to look at her, a dream-like smile etched on his face. She stopped. "Beast Boy?"

Nope, still in King-Midas-touched-me mode.

She went on singing, the words coming out easier. "_I get the feeling just because, everything I touch isn't dark enough, and the problem lies in me."_

His head was nodding to the beat now, his eyes becoming more focused. maybe music _was_, as Starfire insisted, the medicine to everything. She decided to experiment. "_Dun wanna hide the truth, I wanna shelter you, but with the beast inside there's nowhere we can hide._"_  
_

His forehead creased with confusion. Raven hesitated, but went on. "_No matter what we breed, we still are made of greed, this is my kingdom come, this my kingdom come._"

Then a small voice broke through her singing. "_I'm only a man with a candle to guide me, I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me."_

Raven could barely keep the ridiculous grin off her face.

Beast Boy kept singing, making a sound, in fact, for the first time in days. "_A monster, a monster, I've turned into a monster._"

Okay, maybe this was not the best song she could have picked.

She joined in. "_Of an act of betrayal, I know someone did. "_ He looked confused. This wasn't in the song. "_Oh__ the waves of time seem to wash away the scene of our crime. For you this never ends."_ _And for me too. _"_Can you stay strong? Can you go on? Kristy, are you doing okay?_"

His face fell. "_I don't know, who does know, there is no where to go."_

_"If it takes you forever, I want you to know: that if you fall, stumble down, I'll pick you up off the ground. If you loose faith in you, I'll give you strength to pull through. Tell me you won't give up cause I'll be waiting if you fall. Oh you know I'll be there for you."_

He smiled gratefully. "_Someone that understands, what I'm going through right now. And just before I, lay me down to never wake, I look up and I see you, So with everything I am. Thank you, thank you, because you didn't have to. Thank you, thank you, With everything I am, thank you."_

Raven laughed. It was funny hearing him sing Celine Dion. "You're welcome." she said. She couldn't think of anything that went along those lines.

He smiled ruefully. Raven missed seeing that look on his face, even if it annoyed her so much. "_Every time I do this my way, I get caught in the lies of the enemy. I lay my troubles down, I'm ready for you now. Bring me out, come and find me in the dark now. Everyday by myself I'm breaking down. I don't wanna fight alone me out, from the prison of my own pride. My god I need a hope I can't deny. In the end I'm realizing, I was never meant to fight on my own."_

Raven reached out and hugged him. He stiffened, then hugged her back. "_You don't have to fight alone.__"_

* * *

**A/N: Not my longest chapter. Btw, these are only part A. Shipping part B are coming. And yes, they're Robstar. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own (in order) ****_Monsters,_ Demons(both by Imagine Dragons.), or Kristy, Are you Doing Okay? (Offspring), or I Don't Know (Beastie Boy #Bad pun), or Save You (by Simple Plan), or Thank You (by Celine Dion), or On My Own (by Ashes Remain, not the musical!).**

**Longest _useless _disclaimer ever. 'Cos if you've seen me sing, you'd know writing all that would be impossible.**

**R&amp;R?**

**And oh, I like separate reviews for each chapter. Hehe.**

**'Til next time, my friends!**

**Or whatever.**

**On _W is for Wykkyd_, I've decided to change it to, _W for Wykkyd, J for Jericho._ Mostly, it's drabbles focused on solely Kyd Wykkyd and Jericho. Each chapter will follow the alphabet. I got the idea from _Painting Still Life while in Motion,_ which I strongly recommend if you like Jericho. I will not repost fic from here to there, but from now on Jericho and Kyd Wykkyd will largely disappear. Most of them would be in there, but I will repost some from there. Because dude, those dudes are awesome. **

**And yes, I'm a Kyd WykkydXJericho shipper, among many others.**

**Hope all the dudes and dudettes will go read it! It'll be up by the time I post next chap. **


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